Right now, the men detained at the U.S. prison in Guantánamo Bay are engaged in a large-scale hunger strike. The men started their hunger strike in early February, and some are now in critical condition. Medical experts say that irreversible damage may begin to occur by the 40th day of a hunger strike, after which the possibility of death becomes an imminent risk. The unfolding crisis at Guantánamo cannot be divorced from the fact that the vast majority of the 166 remaining prisoners have been held for more than 11 years without any charge or fair trial, and with no end to their detention in sight. The Obama administration must take swift measures to humanely address the immediate causes of the hunger strike before irreparable harm occurs to the detained men, and moreover must address the root of the problem by fulfilling President Obama’s promise to close Guantánamo without further delay. Despite congressional restrictions, the President has the authority to close the prison, and he must use that authority now.

Several groups, including the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), Witness Against Torture (WAT) and World Can’t Wait (WCW) are calling for an emergency National Day of Action on April 11 to demand the closure of Guantánamo and an end to indefinite detention. President Obama’s own administration has cleared more than half of the detained men for release, and the President must now use his authority to quickly resume releasing the men he will not charge, and give fair trials to those he will.

Raise your voice! Join the Day of Action! You can:

Organize a local demonstration demanding the closure of Guantánamo. Ideal locations are Federal buildings, congressional offices, and U.S. military sites like recruitment centers.

Call the White House comment line at 202.456.1111 or switchboard at 202.456.1414 and say, “President Obama, there is an unfolding humanitarian crisis at Guantánamo. I urge you to act swiftly to fulfill your promise to close the prison by releasing the men you will not charge and by giving fair trials to those you will. You should appoint a high level officer in the White House to lead the closure effort, direct the Secretary of Defense to use his authority under the law to release men who will not be charged, and lift your own self-imposed blanket ban on repatriations to Yemen.” You can also e-mail the White House from www.whitehouse.gov/contact
Twitter Storm President @BarackObama @WhiteHouse Keep your promise: #closegitmo #GitmoHungerStrike

Nine men have died in U.S. detention at Guantánamo. 166 men remain imprisoned, most for over 11 years without any charge or trial. More than half—86 men—have been cleared for release by the Obama administration itself, and more than two-thirds of those cleared are from Yemen. Each man is being detained at a cost of $800,000 per year. It's Time to Close Guantánamo Now